


we could be lonely together

by thegirlsinthecity_theyaresoprettayyy



Category: For All Mankind (TV 2019)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28370118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirlsinthecity_theyaresoprettayyy/pseuds/thegirlsinthecity_theyaresoprettayyy
Summary: With Ed stuck on the moon for an indefinite amount of time, Karen Baldwin feels lonely.Tracy Stevens knows how she feels. After all, Gordo is up there, too.The two find solace in each other, and an unlikely friendship.
Relationships: Karen Baldwin/Tracy Stevens
Comments: 5
Kudos: 5





	we could be lonely together

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t written in a while. The only way to improve is to practice, I guess.

At first, Karen Baldwin didn’t see her life as having changed significantly. Her days were still the same. She maintained routine, routine which brought her a sense of comfort and normalcy. 

She woke up early, made Shane’s lunch, packed his bag and served him breakfast. After telling him off for yesterday’s actions and making him promise to do better, he would roll his eyes and walk to the bus. 

During the day, she scrubbed the counter until she could see her reflection, despite having done so the day before and the day before that. The house didn’t really need cleaning—it was mostly an activity that helped pass the time until Shane came back from school. She was alone during the day, but that didn’t phase her much. It was always like this; she took care of the house while Ed worked long hours. 

The afternoons weren’t bad, either. She watched over Tracy’s children until she was done with work. 

The evenings were another story. It wasn’t normal for her to feel alone in the evenings, but with Shane shut in his room and Ed on the moon, there was nothing for her to do, no one to talk to. Ed wasn’t around, hadn’t been around for the past month; setbacks in the Apollo program meant he would be up another two weeks. But she could look over that, because Ed would be home soon. Two weeks was all it was. Sure, they’d said so two weeks ago, but this time it felt true. With that approaching date on her mind, she could tolerate the slow, repetitive days.

The two weeks went by slower than she expected. Perhaps it was the anticipation that made every moment drag on. 

When the day arrived, she woke up with a smile on her face and thoughts of Ed’s return. The day was bright and joyful. The warm morning sun shining through the living room windows and illuminating her face only added to that feeling. Everything she did was more enjoyable. She cooked bacon for Shane’s breakfast, humming along to a song on the radio. She put on the nicest casual dress she owned and did her hair up nicely. 

Shane was in a better mood, too. He’d been at school for an hour now and she hadn’t gotten a single phone call from the principal. 

When she couldn’t take the wait anymore, she drove to the Johnson Space Center. She had a bounce in her step as she walked down the long, fluorescently lit hallways to the viewing room. She stopped upon seeing people exit the room. Among them, she recognized astronauts she’d briefly met at gatherings, wives of astronauts she’d talked to before, and a few staff. They flooded out into the narrow hallway, a solemn look on their faces. 

The hallway suddenly felt constricting and the lighting harsh. Her heart thumped against her ribcage and her palms were slick with sweat. All she could think about was Ed. Was he alright? Had something terrible happened? The sounds of speech around her were muffled and hard to make out.

She stumbled to the end of the hallway and entered the viewing room, holding onto a chair to steady herself. She was the only one in the room, save for Tracy, dressed in a tweed jacket, leaning against the wall. 

Tracy looked up in her direction and smiled. Karen took a deep breath and tried to relax.

“Karen, I wondered when you’d show up. They canceled the launch, _again._ ” She sighed. “Problems with manufacturing.”

Relief instantly flooded Karen when she learned that everything was alright.

“Guess it’s another two weeks, huh?” Tracy chuckled.

Karen smiled hesitantly and turned to walk away. She heard the shuffle of clothes behind her and Tracy’s voice.

“Why don’t you come on over to mine for dinner? We’ve got plenty of food, enough for both you and Shane.” 

Karen turned around, the corners of her mouth upturned in a slight smile. She didn’t particularly like Tracy, but the idea of spending time with someone was welcome, especially after learning she’d be alone even longer.

“Sure. We’ll be over. Thank you, Tracy.”

She watched Tracy leave the room, lighting a cigarette on her way out.

Karen went to pick up the kids from school. They weren’t too happy to learn that their fathers would be gone for another two weeks. Karen wasn’t ecstatic either, but she understood that it was safer this way. Even though she wasn’t well versed in the technical aspect of the rockets, she knew that any small problem could end in catastrophe. She could wait longer, if it meant that Ed was safe.

At home, she sat at the counter. She watched every twitch of the clock hand, wishing it would move faster. 

When Tracy showed up at her door a few hours later, ready to take back her children, Karen felt a certain joy. When the time came, she drove to Tracy’s house and waited at the door a bottle of sparkling wine in hand. 

Tracy let them in with a smile and Shane ran off to greet his friend. 

Karen followed her through the living room and into the kitchen, deciding to stand near the doorway where the tile met the hardwood floor. She picked at the corner of her nail, where the polish was starting to chip. The silence felt awkward, only interrupted by the sounds of metal utensils clinking together as Tracy took them out of the drawer. She walked to a cupboard close to where Karen stood and reached for the plates, fingers outstretched and heels lifting off the ground.

“Here, I’ll get those.'' Karen grabbed the plates and handed them to Tracy.

The two continued to set the table, engaging in awkward small talk.

The kids being called to eat was a relief. Karen didn’t think she would have been able to stand another minute of strained silence.

They sat down and ate chicken with beans and potatoes. The seasoning on the chicken was a beautiful blend between spicy and salty. She said so to Tracy, and inquired about the recipe, mostly in an effort to get conversation going. 

“I bought it at the supermarket.” Tracy replied with a chuckle. “I’m not the best cook.”

As could have been predicted, the conversation eventually steered towards the delay. Karen was sure that the men would be back soon. Tracy was less optimistic.

“I really miss Ed.” Karen said. She glared at Shane, who had grabbed a piece of chicken with his hands. _Manners,_ she mouthed. She turned back towards Tracy. “You must feel the same with Gordo.”

Tracy glanced at her children before replying.

“Yeah, I miss Gordo. I can’t wait for him to be back.”

Karen could tell that Tracy was leaving something unsaid, but she decided against pushing any further. She diverted the conversation to the children’s school day. 

She noted that there was a mundane normalcy to their conversation. It felt exactly like a dinner with Ed and Shane would. She liked it, the sense of security and routine.

Their plates empty, the kids ran off, leaving the two women to wash the dishes. Karen helped her clean everything up, extending her stay as long as she could. She didn’t want to leave yet. The prospect of returning back to her empty home was unappealing. However, she knew that eventually she would have to leave. The idea saddened her more than she wished to admit. 

She was thankful when Tracy asked if she wanted to stay for a movie. 

The two sat on the couch, the silence between them comfortable this time. The movie was one she had seen a few times—a favourite of hers—so she didn’t give it much attention, instead noticing the way Tracy would gulp when the couple on the TV looked happy.

After a few minutes, she turned to the woman beside her.

“About earlier—is everything alright with you and Gordo?” She asked.

“I don't want to talk about it.” 

Karen could hear the sadness in Tracy’s voice, the way it wavered after the last word. Under the faint light of the TV, she could see Tracy’s cheeks glistening, wet with tears. 

“That’s fine. Just know that if you ever need to talk, I’m here.” She replied.

Tracy smiled. “Same goes for you. You can come over whenever you like, you know.”

Tracy shifted beside her, resting her head on her chest. Karen tentatively placed a hand on Tracy’s back, gently holding her in place. She looked down at Tracy in her arms and ran her thumb over Tracy’s cheeks, wiping away her tears. Tracy smiled and relaxed in her embrace.

She stopped paying attention to the television after that. Instead, she relished in the warmth of the moment, feeling a little less lonely with Tracy by her side.

Perhaps she could wait another two weeks, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment telling me what you thought and what I could improve! It would make my day! There’s really not enough fanfiction for this pairing. They’re the best written relationship in the show, imo. Also what are Tracy’s children’s names? I have no clue.
> 
> Follow me on tumblr at thegirlsinthecity if you want to know when I post.


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